At six o’clock on Friday evening, January 9, 2026, a new virtual session will convene as part of the Creative Encounters on the Silk Road series, opening the new year with an open dialogue on children’s and young adult literature—one of the literary fields most deeply connected to shaping awareness and nurturing imagination. The session brings together a distinguished group of writers, critics, and researchers to exchange perspectives on transformations in writing for younger generations, its aesthetic and educational challenges, and the boundaries of experimentation within it. Participants will also shed light on their personal creative journeys and present samples of their works, reflecting on the role of literature in cultivating human sensitivity and reinforcing values of creativity and openness. This meeting reaffirms the mission of the Silk Road Creative Series in building bridges of cultural dialogue and fostering dynamic interaction between Arab and global experiences. The session features six voices from Lebanon, Tunisia, and Egypt.

Participants

Dr. Eman Bikai

Dr. Eman Bikai is a Lebanese academic specializing in Arabic literature, with children’s and young adult literature forming a central pillar of her scholarly and creative work. She is Professor of Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Academic Writing at the Lebanese International University, and a member of the Lebanese Writers’ Union and the Lebanese Artists Syndicate (Drama Writers). Her career bridges academic research, creative authorship, and educational practice, making her a key reference in the study and development of Arab children’s literature. She has authored foundational academic works—such as Children’s Stories: Their Nature, Selection, and Storytelling, The Art of Children’s Stories, and Mastery in Children’s and Young Adult Literature—widely taught in faculties of education. Creatively, she has enriched children’s libraries with numerous stories and series addressing different age groups, combining enjoyment with knowledge and promoting human and educational values.

Basma El Khatib

Basma El Khatib is a Lebanese author and editor specializing in children’s and young adult literature. She combines creative writing with media and editorial work, having studied audiovisual media and earned a diploma in early childhood education. She served as Senior Arabic Editor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press in Qatar, overseeing children’s and YA publications, manuscript selection, and writer development, and contributing to literacy programs and workshops. She also worked with the BBC and leading Arab media outlets, notably Al Jazeera Children’s Channel. Her published works include picture books, Arabic language learning series, and YA novels that have received prestigious international awards. She actively participates in lectures and workshops on children’s literature, picture books, and psychological dimensions of storytelling.

She says: “In this month’s Silk Road creative meeting, I will speak about my most beloved writing experience for children: concise and highly distilled writing that seeks to convey deep meanings in as few words as possible—sometimes a single line, and occasionally without words at all—where storyboards and illustrations play a major role. The beauty of this kind of writing is that it addresses all ages, bringing children and adults together beyond age classifications. In my view, children are far more intelligent than adults, with richer and stronger imaginations. This journey began with Qandeel Alma*, followed by* The Forgotten Garden* and* Something Missing in My World*. I have chosen* The Forgotten Garden* as a model for my presentation.”*

Tarek Amraoui

Tarek Armour is a Tunisian writer and journalist, and a member of the executive board of the Tunisian Writers’ Union. His work combines journalism with cultural and critical research, focusing on issues of thought, identity, and history. He has published several books reflecting this orientation, including The Clash of Civilizations, Genesis: Memory and Trace, and Readings in Archaeological and Historical Writing, alongside contributions to collective volumes on contemporary Tunisian literature. Al-Omrawi has also devoted critical attention to children’s literature, publishing reviews and analytical perspectives in Arab journals, highlighting the aesthetic and educational dimensions of texts for young readers and emphasizing their role in shaping early consciousness and cultural values.

Noura Abid

Noura Abid is a Tunisian writer and educator who teaches Arabic language and literature in preparatory and secondary schools. She combines pedagogical work with creative writing, with a particular focus on children’s and young adult literature. She has participated in numerous national and international cultural forums and published in Arab print and digital newspapers. Her YA works brought her Arab recognition, winning third place in the “Naks Lahom” competition for her collection Ouba, and she published the YA novel The Crown of Life in both Arab and Tunisian editions in 2022. She also won the Tahar Haddad Prize for Women’s Literature (2018) for Mirrors of Soil: Stories of Forgotten Details.

Ali Qutb

Ali Qutb is an Egyptian writer, literary editor, and engineer holding a master’s degree in irrigation engineering. His career blends scientific precision with creative imagination. He has published novels, short stories, studies, and works for children and young adults. Among his notable YA titles are 11 Missions to Save the World and The Color Gang. He has written children’s stories for Alaa El Din and Qatr Al Nada magazines, translated The Tale of Peter Rabbit into Arabic, and published critical articles in leading Arab cultural platforms. His accolades include the Cairo International Book Fair Award for Children’s Literature, the Sawiris Cultural Award, and honors from the Supreme Council of Culture.

Ashraf Aboul-Yazid

Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid (Host) The series is hosted by Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, an Egyptian poet, novelist, translator, journalist, and a prominent figure in Arab children’s and young adult literature. He studied English literature and specialized in the sociology of literature, earning a PhD for his research on crisis management in the Arabic novel and its social impact. His academic background informs a creative project that blends aesthetics with knowledge. He has received major international awards, including the Manhae Prize for Literature (South Korea), the Arab Journalism Award for Culture (UAE), and the Eurasia Literary Festival Gold Medal (Turkey). Children’s and YA literature occupies a central place in his oeuvre, with works such as The Story of an Artist Aged 5000 Years, Arab Travelers, My Cat Writes a Book—winner of the Sawiris Award for Children’s Literature—and My Father Is a Mapmaker, alongside translations of global children’s stories. Through his long-running Silk Road projects, he opens cultural windows for young readers, fostering dialogue, imagination, and openness across cultures